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Friday, April 19, 2013

Google’s One Today App Aims To Make Charitable Donations A More Social, And Frequent, Experience | TechCrunch: Today, Google quietly ushered in a new application built on top of its nonprofit arm, Google.org. The app is called One Today, and it’s currently invite only for Android users at this time. The aim is to get people to donate $1 to different organizations, while getting the complete information about how your donation will be used up front. This is a huge stumbling block for nonprofits usually, as people are afraid that their money won’t actually get spent on making a real difference. One Today aims to change that.

Elizabeth Marquardt: Why Teach Philanthropy -- and How?: If giving is teachable, then the college years represent a tremendous opportunity to instill such behaviors in the next generation -- and the need is arguably greater than ever. In the future, all of us are going to have to be more savvy about philanthropy. As taxpayers are increasingly less willing to fund public giving, everyone in the non-profit world has to get out, beat the bushes, and make the case for why we are deserving of funds. As globalization ramps up competition, many of us are now competing with the best from around the world. Finally, the rise in social media fuels a need for us to be vivid, authentic tellers of our own story. The key to successful philanthropy is story, that is, understanding and telling the story of what the problem is, why the giver is the best leader to respond to the problem, and why the recipient is the best candidate for solving the problem on the ground.

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Red Cross Response Efforts Continue in Texas and Boston - WSJ.com: WASHINGTON, April 18, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Red Cross is supporting people in West, Texas after the plant explosion there while continuing to help first responders and those affected by the marathon bombings which occurred earlier this week in Boston. In addition, local chapters in the Midwest are responding to the severe weather threat there.

The People’s Table is a virtual collection of images submitted by people around the world in response to the question, “What do you bring to the table?” It is meant to act as a reminder of the multitude of ways that people attribute value to objects and ideas in culture, while simultaneously offering access without regard to significant financial or societal limitations. Anyone with access to an Internet connection can bring themselves, and their vision to the table. Additionally, this collection will be projected for the guests of the 2013 BK Ball, where they will be invited to participate as well.

The lawyer who managed the fund to collect and distribute donations for victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, will run a similar effort aimed at helping those affected by Monday’s Boston Marathon bombings, reports the Associated Press.

Are you frozen, financially, that is? Does it feel as if your organization’s financial portrait is covered in ice? Does every building-related expense seem to go out in agonizingly slow motion? Does the message from your financial statements seem inevitably chilling?

If the answer to any of these questions is yes, your organization is probably suffering from one or more of a handful of conditions that really can make it feel like you’re frozen in time. Some of these situations are easy to spot, while others could take a little sleuthing in your financial records to confirm

Touring Australia as a guest of the Australian Communities Foundation, d’Eustachio told Pro Bono Australia that role models in philanthropy are needed to give others the confidence to share aspects of their giving.

As our minds are still grappling with the horror of the Boston bombings, and our hearts are still hurting for the victims and their loved ones, there is something we can do today to help the lives of children around the world. Today is the day that, since 2007, has been designated by the shoe company TOMS as "One Day Without Shoes."

Susan Danish: What Do Nonprofits Need More Than Funding?: It's no secret that nonprofits, particularly those that are primarily funded by state and local government, are increasingly starved for cash needed to carry out their missions. But another deficit is less apparent -- finding new and effective leaders for thousands of nonprofits at all levels: national, regional and local.

Nonprofits are wooing 20- and 30-somethings for their energy and eventual power as they move up in their careers. (If that's the target demographic, they should consider replacing their old CEO with Jimmy Fallon.)

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

5 Nonprofit Trends to Watch in 2013 | Social Velocity: I started a tradition in December of 2010 with a blog post on the nonprofit trends to watch in the coming year. Keeping with that tradition, here is my take on the nonprofit trends for 2013 (you can read my nonprofit trends posts for 2011 and 2012 as well).

Return on (fundraising) Talent | Vera Peerdeman |: Nevertheless, the driving force behind a successful fundraising programme is not so much the technique applied, but the fundraiser who puts this into practice. The talent of this fundraiser is thus of immeasurable value for the return of your programme. The question is therefore: to what extent do you make the development of this talent the main focus within your organization?

massnonprofit.org ::: April 16, 2013 — Dozens of Massachusetts nonprofits fielded runners in the117th Boston Marathon yesterday—some for the first time, others building on previous efforts—to raise funds for ongoing programs, with many athletes prevented from completing the 26.2 mile-course due to dual explosions near the finish line shortly before 3 p.m.

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A little-noticed amendment to Internal Revenue Service reporting rules made in 2008 allows U.S. nonprofit organizations to fund overseas charities without identifying them, according to The Jewish Daily Forward.

The change was implemented as part of a broader overhaul of the Form 990 most nonprofit groups file with the federal tax agency. While organizations previously had to specify gift recipients abroad, now they are required only to state the world region to which their funding went.

Nonprofit Finance Fund | Where Money Meets Mission: In this year’s survey, nearly 6000 respondents from nonprofits across the country shared the details of how they are adapting their organizations and finances to economic conditions. The survey, which was supported for the third year in a row by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, reveals that 2012 was a year in which organizations either made or planned to make significant changes in order to cope with mounting economic stress. As NFF CEO Antony Bugg-Levine put it, “Nonprofits are changing the way they do business because they have to: government funding is not returning to pre-recession levels, philanthropic dollars are limited, and demand for critical services has climbed dramatically. At the same time, 56 percent of nonprofits plan to increase the number of people served. That goal requires systemic change and innovation– both within the sector, and more broadly as a society that values justice, progress and economic opportunity.”

Joy Boruff: Pioneer : Business: oruff co-founded the Women's Encouragement Board, a group of women who met for annual one-day workshops throughout the 1990s, and the regional chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. She recently created the River Vision 2020 project, which aims to further improve Moline's riverfront.